Ernest Hill Shumway (1892-1969)
}} Ernest Hill Shumway was born June 5, 1892 in a small one-room cellar, covered with a dirt roof in the little town of Shumway, Arizona. He was the second son and third child of James Jardine Shuwmay and Maria Antoinette (Nettie) Hatch. His grandparents were Charles and Elizabeth Jardine Shumway and Lorenzo Hill and Alice Hansen Hatch. The James J. Shumway family moved to Taylor when Ernest was a small baby and lived there most of his early years, except for the one year (1903) they moved back to Shumway. They returned to Taylor after that one year because his father was called to be the Bishop of Taylor Ward. Ernest was called "Ern" or "Shum" and was a very active young boy. He loved all sports and was a good runner, acrobat, and ball player. Ernest always did well with his business ventures as a young lad. He shucked corn, gleaned wheat, stripped sorgum cane, and herded cows. He states, "I was most successful at the cow herding job and made some real money; two and one half cents per head per day, and I had about 39 head during my most prosperous season." While he was in Shumway, he trapped gophers for Hood and Jasper Rhoton and received 5 cents for each gopher. Ernest graduated from Snowflake High School in 1913. During his senior year he entered the University of Arizona invitational track meet as a one man team. He participated in the high jump, broad jump, pole vault and quarter-mile race, chalking up eleven points; one point less than the high point man in the meet. He graduated from Northern Arizona Teachers College at Flagstaff in 1915, and for 2 years was the principal of the St. Johns grade school. In 1917 he entered Brigham Young University. He was the pitcher for the "Y" baseball team, played on the varsity basketball squad and won many track events. Also, during this year, he married his sweetheart Lola (Sarah Viola) Mortensen in the Salt Lake Temple. Ernest and Lola graduated in 1918 and Ernest entered the officers training camp in San Francisco. He was sent from there to Gila College in Thatcher, Arizona, to organize and teach the army cadet program. The following year he became Gila's basketball, baseball, track, and football coach. Great teams and athletes were developed under his direction for several years. While in Thatcher, 3 boys were born to Lola and Ernest: Var H. (who died at the age of 18 months), Ord L, and Ernest Widtsoe. Ernest was also Bishop of Thatcher Ward. He was ordained by Apostle David O. McKay. He then received a leave of absence from Gila College to study for his Masters Degree at the University of Southern California. Upon receiving his Masters degree, the Shumway family returned to Thatcher but found his position there no longer open. So in 1929, he moved his family to Phoenix where he began selling insurance and was soon appointed state manager for Farmers Automobile Insurance Co. In Phoenix, in 1935, a daughter, Lola Marilyn was born. Ernest (or E.H. as he became known) was always involved in athletics in some way; teaching the youth of the church, helping his own children excel and sponsoring basketball teams. In 1942 he went into the insurance and real estate business for himself and in the following years joined forces with his brother L.D. (Dow) Shumway. They had a very successful real estate business and owned and operated Memory Lawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum. Ernest passed away March 31, 1969 in Phoenix, Arizona. His children and grandchildren revere him for his goodness and the love he showered upon them. He had the great gift of healing that was manifest many times in the behalf of his family, and he left his posterity the greatest gift of all, his strong testimony that Jesus was the Son of God and that the Gospel had been restored to the earth References * Written by Marilyn Prock (daughter of Ernest Hill Shumway) and included in The Charles Shumway Family 1806-1979 book: See Also * Ernest Shumway * Shumway in Navajo County, Arizona * Shumway in Maricopa County, Arizona